Improvement in safety-cars



L. P. BARNES &R. C. STONE.

Safety-Cars. N0 155 35'] Patented Sept.2-9, 1874.

\NVENTORS.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

LOVIOK P. BARNES AND ROSS C. STONE, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

IMPROVEMENT IN SAFETY-CARS.

Specification-forming part of Letters Patent No. 155,357, dated September 29, 1874 application filed March 9, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LovIcK P. BARNES and Ross C. STONE, of Nashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee, have invented an Improved Device for Preventing Accidents, of which the following is a specification:

This relates to that class of inventions whose object it is to prevent the loss of life on the part of railroad employs. The object of our invention is to provide means for preventing brakemen and others who are compelled to traverse the tops of freight-cars from falling between the same to the track. ()ur invention consists in the attachment of ahinged platform to each end of every freight-car, which, for the purpose of shortening the train and to oheapen construction, are not provided with platforms like those of passenger-coaches. In order, however, to describe our invention fully, that its novelty and usefulness may be readily observed, we will proceed with the general description, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a front elevation of two ordinary freight-cars, between which are located platforms A and B, attached, respectively, one to each of the cars, as hereafter described. G is an angle-shaped piece, (with which each end of said platforms is provided,) pivoted to another angle-piece D, which is socured to the car with suitable bolts, thus forming hinged supporting device for said platform, and so arranged as to hold the same in an inclined position, like that shown; and,bein g permitted to swing upward, but not downward, at the elevated ends, the same will meet and move upward together, should the draw-head E of the cars yield sufficiently when the cars are joined together, thus preventing the said platforms from being broken or injured by the collision, and then fall again of their own gravity into the position they occupy in Fig. 1; wherein it may readily be observed that, should a person accidentally fall between the cars, he would be arrested by'these platforms and be thus prevented from receiving further injury. Fig. 2 represents the hinge from the side opposite that shown in Fig. 1, thus showin g the manner in which the same is prevented from vibrating lower than the joint already mentioned, this being effected by a brace-like piece (being a part of 0) which rests against the base of D. Fig. 3 represents the said hinge from the end, wherein its mode of fast ening to both the platforms and the cars is plainly shown.

WVe are aware that safety-bridges have been used between the platforms of cars; therefore, such we do not claim but We claim- The platforms A and B, combined and applied to the ends of a car, for the purpose of preventing persons from falling from the cars,

as set forth.

LOVIGK P. BARNES. ROSS G. STONE. Witnesses:

RoBT. M. FRYER, W. W. J oHNsoN. 

